Joint pain relief. Relief from knee pain, thumb pain, back pain and more. That is what hundreds, even thousands of people are searching the Internet for every day. There are several schools of thought on how to treat join pain. One of them is through over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs. The other is through all-natural methods. I'm going to reveal the pros and cons of using synthetic medications to treat joint pain.
But first, let's talk about joint pain itself. The most common type of joint pain affecting over 20 million people in the United States is osteoarthritis (OA) pronounced (AH-stee-oh-ar-THREYE-tis). Osteoarthritis affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. Simply put, osteoarthritis is the cartilage or cushioning between the bones wearing away in the joints. As it worsens, the cartilage disappears and bone rubs on bone. Sounds painful, doesn't it?
The onset of symptoms of osteoarthritis usually occurs between 30-40 years of age and by age 70, almost everyone has experienced symptoms. Generally before the age of 55, osteoarthritis occurs equally in both men and women. After 55, it becomes more common in women.
SYMPTOMS:
· Chronic joint pain that gets worse when you become active after a period of inactivity
· Over time, the pain persists even when you are resting
· You can hear and feel grinding of the joint with motion
· You feel increased pain during humid or damp weather
· Your joints are swollen
· You have lost some of your movement
· You have experienced a loss of muscle strength around arthritic joints
CAUSES:
The primary cause of osteoarthritis is aging. As we grow older, the water content of the cartilage increases, and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. Occasionally osteoarthritis develops in several family members, which also implies an underlying genetic or hereditary basis for this condition.
MEDICATIONS:
Over-the-counter pain relievers can help with symptoms. Most doctors recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol) first, because it has fewer side effects than other drugs.
If your pain continues, your doctor may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs help relieve pain and swelling. Types of NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
However, long-term use of NSAIDs can cause stomach problems, such as ulcers and bleeding. These drugs may also increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes.
The prescription drug, Celebrex may work as well as other NSAIDs. Because of a risk for heart attacks and stroke, it is given only at the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible period of time.
Corticosteroids injected right into the joint can also be used to reduce swelling and pain. However, relief only lasts for a short time.
Artificial joint fluid can be injected into painful knee joints. It may relieve pain for 3 - 6 months.
All of these medications offer relief from joint pain but as you've read, many of them have adverse and harmful side effects.
There is a way to get rid of your joint pain naturally without the harmful side effects.
To learn more about how to get rid of your joint pain naturally, you can go here for my FREE report...
About this Author
I am an expert on joint pain relief after suffering with arthritis in my neck for over 20 years. I tried all manner of traditional synthetic drugs and experienced terrible side effects. There is another way to treat joint pain. An all-natural way. My results have been incredible using all-natural methods, and I want to help as many people as I can discover this solution.
Visit my website today to get your copy of my free report on how you too can be free from joint pain using all-natural methods: http://www.getridofjointpain.net/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carlton_Hill
